Home Improvement – Reduce Noise at Home

If you live in a quiet neighborhood, you might not be concerned about noise because you never feel it’s a problem for you. But for those of us who live in a crowded part of town, or if you have a teenager living with you who likes to listen to loud music or likes to turn the TV up at night, you might feel the need for a more quieter room or need ways to reduce noise levels at home so that you can get a good night’s rest.

Noise can become a high-impact issue. Think about it, if you cannot get a good night’s sleep, your performance at work and your health will also have a profound effect. The health concerns related to high levels of noise include insomnia, headaches, irritation, agitation, and mood swings to name a few. The health concerns related to noise cannot be ignored. If you live in a neighborhood with high levels of street noise, you could suffer from serious health issues and consequences. Even though you might think noise is not an issue at present, it might have long term effect on your health.

When you build a new home or remodel your old home, keep the noise factors in mind and try to make your bedroom as quiet as possible. There are really simple ways to dull outside noises and make your home more quiet, so you can rest easy and relax better. Below are some simple ways to help you rest better in your new or remodeled home.

The three most common materials that come into play when building a quiet home are explained below:

Drywalls: Drywall or sheetrock is the most commonly used material for building the inside walls of your house. When building your house, you can use the kind of drywall materials that absorb noise and are also eco-friendly. Drywalls that reduce noise have noise reduction coating, and can make your room quieter. Drywall can help dampen the noise even more if a coat of green glue is applied on the back of the sheetrock. There is specially made sheetrock used to absorb more sound waves and to keep your rooms quieter. Some drywall can be fire resistant, so make sure you check the fire ratings as well. (Source: QuietRock.com)

Insulation: applying insulation between sheet rock and around the windows and doors can be a very significant factor in keeping noise down as well as keeping your homes energy efficient. In addition to insulation between your drywall and internal wall structures, your outside insulation is also important in keeping the outside noise level down and making your home more energy efficient. Check your local Home Depot or building material supply stores for more details. Applying insulation between the roofing cavities also plays an important role in noise proofing your homes and it prevents noise from traveling between rooms. (Adding Insulation to an Existing Home)

Floor: For controlling noise caused by impacts of falling object and to minimize resonance, thick carpets and soft padding on the floor is the most effective way to reduce noise. Carpets and pads can absorb most of the energy from the impact and makes your room quieter. Using rubber flooring and rubber underlayment is another technique to reduce noise. Resilient underlayment made from recycled rubber mats, cork, foam, rigid fiberglass, or any other noise reducing materials can act as a carpet and pad. They reduce noise by absorbing energy including mid- to high-frequency impact noises.

Your home should be made so that you can relax and enjoy in maximum peace and quiet. Noise may become a problem if you continue to ignore the disturbances caused by your surroundings, and it could become a serious health issue. You should talk to your builder or your contractor before building your new home or remodeling your old home about the noise reduction factors because noise is a type of pollution that affects us all mentally and physically, reducing our mental abilities and performances by depriving us of proper rest and peace. Therefore, noise should not be taken lightly because with it comes a wastage of energy tied together. Environmental concerns are also related to noise. After all, noise is a serious type of pollution.

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